mike tobin is live outside methodist hospital with the latest. mike? >> reporter: the latest, gregg, the latest release we got included the phrase, continues to improve in relation to the former president's condition. the staff around the president have made an effort to keep the releases light and optimistic, all the while acknowledging that he is pretty sick and he is 88 years old. he is in intensive care where he has been since sunday dealing what we describe as a stubborn fever. the fever the result of complications from a case of bronchitis that hospitalized former president toward the end of november. now the staff around the former president have been pretty frugal in terms of the information that they are releasing and they say one of the reasons for that is george herbert walker bush is so beloved people get any information they can overreact. that being said they have told us that he has been interacting with the staff. if you ever have had the opportunity to meet former president bush he is a terribly funny guy. it is his style to crack joke